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Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Orecchiette

Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Orecchiette reads umami 6.9, salinity 6.3 and richness 6.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 27 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.9 · Salinity 6.3 · Richness 6.1 · Allium 3.9 · Marine & Briny 3.5 · Citrus 3.5 · Funk & Ferment 3.1 · Herbaceous 2.4 · Sweetness 2.3 · Heat 2.2 · Bitterness 2.1 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Floral 1.4 · Sourness 1.4 · Earthy 1.4 · Fruity 1.2 · Nutty 1.1

What's in it (12)

Time & effort: about 27 min (25 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 154.4 kcal, 9.2 g protein, 4.5 g fat, 20.5 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and stir in the kosher salt. Add the broccoli rabe and blanch until bright green and just tender, about 2 minutes; lift it out with a spider or slotted spoon into a bowl of ice water, then drain well and roughly chop. Keep the pot of water boiling.
  2. Return the water to a full boil, add the orecchiette, and cook according to the package directions until al dente, 10-12 minutes. Before draining, scoop out and reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water; drain the pasta.
  3. While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey sausage, breaking it into large chunks, and cook undisturbed until deeply browned on the first side, 4-5 minutes.
  4. Flip and continue cooking, breaking the sausage into bite-size pieces, until no longer pink and it reaches 165F internally, 3-4 minutes more. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.
  5. Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the same skillet. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and anchovy, and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and pale gold and the anchovy has melted into the oil, 1-2 minutes; don't let the garlic brown.
  6. Add the chopped broccoli rabe to the skillet and toss to coat in the garlic oil, cooking just until warmed through, about 1 minute.
  7. Return the sausage to the skillet along with the drained orecchiette and the reserved pasta water. Toss over medium heat until the sauce turns glossy and lightly clings to the pasta, 1-2 minutes.
  8. Remove from the heat and toss in the Pecorino Romano and lemon zest until the cheese melts into a light sauce. Season with the black pepper and more salt to taste, and serve hot with extra cheese alongside.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.